The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-10-29
WHAT CAUSES BADNESS.
A Plausible Reason Given for the
Prevalence of Baldheads.
Journal of Chemistry

loss of hair? 1t is not due to the
hats or caps We wear, not to the
clipping of the hair close, not to
living in hot rooms; it is not due
to the forms of foods we consume,
but, in our view, it is largely due
to modern methods of treatment
of the hair and scalp. The errone-
Gus view prevails that the skin
which holds the hair follicles and
the delicate secretOry organs of the
scalp must be kept as "clean," so
to speak, as the face or hands con-
sequently young men patronize
BARRIERS or hairdressers, and once
or twice week they have what is
called a shampoo" operation per-
formed and this consists in thor
Ough securing of the hair and scalp
with dilute ammonia, water and
soap, SO that a heavy "lather" is
produced, and the glandular secre-
tions, which are the natural pro-
lection Of the hair, and promotive
of its growth, are saponifed and
removed. No act could be more
directly destructive of healthy
growth of hair than this, and no
one is more common.
The practice of frequently wash
ing the head in warm or cold water,
at home, with or without the ad-
juncts of soap, alcohol, ammonia,
or perfumery, is deleteriOus, and
promotive of early loss of hair.
Men in active indoor business,
clerks, shopkeepers in cities, are
continually washing the head.
Many do this night and morning,
under the false notion that it is
necessary to cleanliness and pro-
motive of a vigorous growth of
hair, and. when alarmed at its rapid
disappearance in early life, they
are at loss to understand the rea-
son. The secretion of wax in the
ear passages is natures method OF
protecting the delicate machinery
upon which hearing depends. 1t
closes the organ to the entrance of
insects and dust; and fortunately
the secretion is, to a considerable
extent, placed beyond easy inter
ference, and thus the sense OF
hearing is protected from injurious
"washouts."
The waxy secretion which is
poured out from the glandular or
gans which are found i'm connection
with the follicles of the hair is ma
ture's product, and is designed to
preserve and protect the wonderful
and beautiful head covering. Ii
we persist in removing it altogether
we must march with the baldpates
before the frosts of age come along
10 change its color. Women do
not shampoo or wash the hair as
often as the other sex, and conse-
quently they are in a large degree
exempt from badness in middle
life. 1t is true, however. that many
women in cities make frequent Wis
its to the hairdressers and subject
their tresses to the securing" pro-
cess. If this becomes common, it
will not be long before badness
will overtake the young mothers as
we'll as the fathers, and the time
will be hastcned when children even
will have no hair to destroy with
ammonia and other caustic cos
metics.
The advice we have to offer to
young men and maidens is-let
your hair alone keep at fair dis
tance from hair-dressing rooms and
drug shops, where are sold oils, al
kaline substances, alcoholic mix
lures, etc, for use upon the hair.
They are all pernicious, and will
do you harm. The head and hair
may be washed occasionally with
soft tepid water without soap of
any kind. AS a rule the only ap-
pliances needed in the care of the
hair are good combs and brushes ;
and they should not be used harshly
so as to wound the soap. Avoid
all electric and wire-made brushes.
No electricity can be stored in a
hairbrush if it could be, it is not
needed. The hair is a beautiful
gift of nature, and it must not be
DESTROYED.